Experiences in the development of policies and regulations for manure management Europe: the Netherlands Workshop reduced discharge towards full recovery of nutrients and energy from animal manure Seoul, 26 april 2012 Erik Mulleneers Co-ordinator fertiliser policy Directorate-General Agriculture Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation The Netherlands
Introduction Goal of presentation: an overview, in a nutshell of the EU/Dutch government s policies aimed at solving the problems caused by large surplus of animal manure and high fertiliser use Content: Problem definition Need for governmental involvement Policy response Results so far New developments 2
Nutrient availability and nutrient management in agriculture: problems Excessive production and use of nutrients in some regions in the world: threat to public health: nitrates in drinking water threat to quality of environment and nature: eutrophication Shortage of available nutrients in other regions: insufficient agricultural production food insecurity, poverty Exhaustion of resources in the longer term 3
production and use of animal manure in The Netherlands in 2010 animal manure production phosphate in animal manure phosphate excretion per ha phosphate use in agriculture phosphate use in agriculture per ha billion kg million kg kg/ha million kg kg/ha 72.2 178.9 99 142.8 79 Source: Netherlands Statistics, 2012 4
Manure management policy in The Netherlands - context The Netherlands: highly developed and densely populated; 1.8 million hectare of agricultural land; in fertile delta with favourable climate for many types of agricultural production; large livestock sector (dairy, pork, poultry); highly developed agricultural research infrastructure; number 2 exporter of agricultural produce in the world (2011). Goal of Dutch government for agriculture: a world-class agri-food sector, that can be further strengthened through investment in innovation and sustainability. 5
Policy response (1): need for governmental action in NL? in regions with very high livestock farming intensity and resulting large manure production like NL: manure = waste product with negative value Negative price for animal manure incentive for farmers for excessive use of livestock manure negative effects on quality of air, soil, water (increasingly visible in 1980 s) diminishing support in society for intensive (livestock) farming practices (present) 6
7 Conclusion: market failure, need for governmental action
Policy response in the Netherlands: the stick and the carrot 8
Policy response: the stick and the carrot Strict regulations/standards for farms and farming practices (starting in 1980s): limits to the number of livestock/amount of manure produced strict spatial planning regulations and standards for fertiliser/manure use implementing best farming practice (partly based on EU-laws) regulations for livestock manure transports standards for ammonia, odour and dust from animal housing using best available techniques (partly based on EU-law) Legislation in preparation: in future, for livestock farmers with manure surplus at farm level: obligatory manure processing or manure export 9 Not only words, also actual use of the stick: monitoring, control, warnings and fines
Policy response (2): the stick and the carrot Controlling manure transport 10
Policy response: the stick and the carrot - (co-)financing research into and development of innovative new technologies and (management) techniques - Subsidies (partly financed from EU-funds) and fiscal measures to stimulate investments in new techniques and better management - knowledge dispersal through demonstration projects, counselling and farmers networks 11
Results so far Short term: higher costs for (livestock and arable) farmers, with impact on their income and competitiveness Stimulus for (technical and management) innovation in fields like: low emission (ammonia, odour, dust) animal production buildings, manure storage and manure application techniques manure processing and new types of fertilising feed management precision fertilisation Considerable improvement of environmental quality in NL since 1995 Higher resource efficiency: same or more output of produce with less input of nutrients 12
Developments in NL/EU: Change in problem definition: more integral approach towards (environmental) problems related to surpluses of nutrients (water and air quality, greenhouse gasses, animal welfare); problems related to future availability of nutrients resource efficiency as a new theme for policy makers Responsibilities: creating innovative, sustainable agriculture is not sole responsibility of government, but joint responsibility of business (farmers, their suppliers, processing industry), society and government. further development of knowledge needed to make steps forward 13
More information? Facts and figures on Dutch agriculture: http://www.lei.wur.nl/uk/publications+en+products/lei+publications/?id=1254 EU environmental policies and agriculture (including links to water and air directives): http://ec.europa.eu/environment/agriculture/index.htm Dutch fertilisers policy: http://english.minlnv.nl/portal/page?_pageid=116,1640378&_dad=po rtal&_schema=portal EU plans on resource efficiency: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/resource_efficiency/index_en.htm Example of joint responsibility for realising a resource efficient economy: Dutch phosphate value chain agreement: http://www.nutrientplatform.org/ 14
15 Thank you for your attention!